THURSDAY 6th MARCH 2008
Got here in one piece after a delayed 6hr flight in Auckland on Monday; then 9½hrs to Singapore (arriving at 12:30am), then arranging accommodation at a hotel in town with the airlines and finally getting into bet at 3am. Connection time of 23hrs in Singapore leaving at 11:30pm, then 13½hrs to Amsterdam arriving 6:30am. Connection time 5hrs in Amsterdam leaving there at 12:30pm, then 5hrs to Atyrau arriving 9pm. Then clearing customs and getting to the transit hotel (15min walk with baggage – freezing cold at -1 deg C) and finally settling in my room by 11pm after a nice shower. Then the antics started; forgot to set alarm: light-on search for instructions and set alarm; forgot to change time zone: light-on change time zone; forgot to take suitcase to baggage kiosk for early transport: light-on pack pillow and other unused clothes back in bag; room too hot and stuffy: light-on open window play with hot water radiator,….now after midnight; 15min later, now too cold: light-on fiddle with radiator….finally settle down). Just as well there was no one else in the room, otherwise they would have been really fed-up with me. Up at 4am, breakfast at 4:20am; on bus by 4:35am for train station at 4:45am; 30min bust ride to station. I was first off the bust but somehow was last on the train by all the queue jumpers – must remember to try that myself next time as standing out in -2 deg C is not funny. Left at 6am, 4½hrs to Kulsary station near TCO village (well I thought it was – how wrong I was). Then 1½hrs bus ride at about 40km/hr snaking (really ill due to major pot holes in road) all the way to TCO Village arriving at midday, then waiting for a temp pass to get into the village and finally getting to my room at 1pm. Then trying to get hold of the right people and finally getting to my office block at 2:30pm. A total of 73 hrs to get here…phew! As opposed to about 49 it would normally just because the first leg of the flight was delayed by 6hrs.
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